The present invention relates to apparatus for handling boxes or crates intended for storage in the shelving compartments of storage shelving systems. The apparatus comprises a main body structure which is intended to be carried by a materials-handling vehicle and to be brought by means of a lifting device provided on the vehicle, to a position in which the box registers with a respective shelf compartment, and further comprises a box support table which is movable on the body structure, and a box dogging device which is arranged for movement along the body structure in a manner to move a box between the support table and said shelf compartment.
Several different kinds of such materials-handling devices are known to the art, and are used, inter alia, to handle automatically in large storage systems boxes which contain small component parts or like items. The boxes concerned are manufactured in accordance with particular requirements, including for instance the provision of hand-grips, and must fulfill high demands with regard to strength and robustness, so that the boxes can be handled repeatedly by mechanical devices without detriment to the boxes. These storage systems are well tested and relatively efficient, although they require the aforesaid component parts or like objects to be loaded into and unloaded from the aforesaid special-duty boxes. Because of the increased demand placed on the speed at which items can be handled in such storage systems and also because of the desire to hold the smallest possible quantity of items in store, the time taken to load and unload such boxes plays a significant part in the overall efficiency of the materials-handling cycle. One solution to this problem is to use, as far as is possible, one and the same box from the place of manufacture to the place where the items contained in the boxes are finally used. In this case, the boxes must, in the majority of instances, have the form of disposable boxes, intended for one time use only, and must be available in various sizes. This means that the boxes must be of simple and inexpensive manufacture. Suitable materials herefor are paperboard, plastics, etc. This means, in turn, that the boxes will not normally be self-supporting and that the boxes cannot be provided with handles or like gripping means, as in the case of the special-duty boxes.
Consequently, an object of the present invention is to provide a box-handling apparatus which is able to safely handle goods stored in boxes of various kinds, such as commercial, disposable packaging boxes. Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description.